Cope Notes
 | |
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Telehealth |
| Founded | 2018 |
| Founders | Johnny Crowder |
Area served | Worldwide |
| Website | www |
Cope Notes is an American telehealth-based mental health service. The company "sends subscribers positive thoughts and affirmations to help combat depression and anxiety".[1] Each message contains psychology facts, exercises, and journaling prompts[2] that are "reviewed, edited and approved by a panel of mental health professionals".[3]
History
[edit]Cope Notes was founded in 2018 by Johnny Crowder, an American musician, public speaker, and Certified Recovery Peer Specialist.[2] According to the Tampa Bay Times, the company "sends subscribers positive thoughts and affirmations to help combat depression and anxiety".[1] The content is sent via text message at least once per day, at random times. According to the company's FAQ, each message is "reviewed, edited and approved by a panel of mental health professionals".[4][5][3] Users are encouraged to respond to the messages, using the text thread as a journal.[6]
The idea for Cope Notes began as an unnamed in-person support group, which formed after Crowder graduated from college. That group transitioned into a virtual peer support group, where many attendees opted into the SMS option, influencing Crowder to create a mental health-based texting service.[7] Crowder, a touring musician, used his time traveling between performances with his heavy metal bands, Dark Sermon and Prison, to develop the service. The development of Cope Notes was also influenced by Crowder’s interactions with fans at shows, tailoring the service to meet their needs.[8]
As of January 2022, Cope Notes had more than 21,000 users across 96 countries.[1]
Through the end of 2024, Cope Notes reported having sent over 4 million messages to its subscribers.[9]
In a 2025 Tampa Bay Business Journal article, it was reported that Cope Notes' services were included in UnitedHealthcare's Florida Medicaid contract, partnering with UnitedHealthcare for a five-year statewide agreement. Cope Notes had previously signed a pilot contract with UnitedHealth Group, distributing its services through UnitedHealthcare and Optum.[9]
Studies
[edit]In May 2022, a study was published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research where researchers found a majority of participants in the study "appreciate the service for reframing their mental wellness (86%) with statistically significant correlations between personality and acceptability of the service", while some participants "prefer a more personalized experience" (14%).[10]
In March 2023, a study was published in the Journal of Mental Health where researchers found that "participants with severe depression experienced a significant decrease in anxiety and depressive symptoms, as well as perceived stress" and "showed a significant increase in emotional intelligence" after using Cope Notes for 1 month.[11][12] The study's participants consisted of 64 people, a majority of whom were white women and students attending the University of South Florida.[11]
Recognition
[edit]In 2020, Cope Notes was recognized as an honoree as part of Tampa Bay Inno’s Inno On Fire awards.[13]
In 2022, Cope Notes won the People's Choice award at the Startup of the Year summit, a national competition featuring tech firms, venture investors, and startups across the United States. The company was also ranked within the top 15 amongst the 100 semi-finalists recognized by the competition.[1]
In 2024, the company was recognized as an honoree at the Tampa Bay Inno Awards, under the category of Healthtech.[14]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d Cridlin, Jay (28 January 2022). "Tampa mental health service Cope Notes wins Startup of the Year prize". Tampa Bay Times.
- ^ a b Eichman, Melissa (18 October 2022). "Cope Notes offers mental health support through text messages". Bay News 9.
- ^ a b Rankin, Charles (13 February 2022). "Saline County invests in residents' mental health by partnering with text message program Cope Notes". Salina Journal.
- ^ "A suicide survivor turned mental health advocate discusses coping during the pandemic" (Video). CNN. 12 August 2020.
- ^ Ryan, Wendy (17 March 2021). "Text message service can improve how you feel and disrupt negative thinking". ABC News.
- ^ Griffin, Justine (22 February 2019). "A support group in your phone. Healing for mental illness comes one text at a time". Tampa Bay Times.
- ^ Coffey, Lauren (5 January 2020). "Going Beyond Inspirational Quotes: the Tampa-Based Preventative Mental Health Service". Tampa Bay Business Journal.
- ^ Llovio, Louis (15 July 2021). "Music Man in the Boardroom". Business Observer.
- ^ a b Rubin, Anjelica (3 January 2025). "25 Startups to Watch in 2025: These are the rising stars shaping Tampa Bay's innovation landscape". Tampa Bay Business Journal.
- ^ King, Sayde Leya; Lebert, Jana; Karpisek, Lacey Anne; Phillips, Amelia; Neal, Tempestt; Kosyluk, Kristin (May 2022). "Characterizing User Experiences With an SMS Text Messaging–Based mHealth Intervention: Mixed Methods Study". Journal of Medical Internet Research. 6 (5): e35699. doi:10.2196/35699. PMC 9115655. PMID 35503524.
- ^ a b San Felice, Selene (12 May 2023). "Tampa startup Cope Notes is the text big thing in mental health". Axios.
- ^ Kosyluk, Kristin; Tran, Jennifer; King, Sayde; Torres, Katie; Neal, Tempestt (12 March 2023). "Preliminary effectiveness study of the Cope Notes digital mental Health program". Journal of Mental Health. 32 (3): 625–633. doi:10.1080/09638237.2023.2182424. PMID 36908166.
- ^ Coffey, Lauren (15 October 2020). "Setting 2020 ablaze: Meet Tampa Bay's Inno on Fire honorees". Tampa Bay Business Journal.
- ^ Strickland, Brooke (8 November 2024). "2024 Inno Awards". Tampa Bay Business Journal.